Red Bull made a mistake putting Liam Lawson alongside Max Verstappen in 2025 because they needed Yuki Tsunoda in that teammate role instead.
That's the warning from former F1 driver and commissioner Johnny Herbert, who is convinced Tsunoda would come close to Verstappen's level if they were teammates at Red Bull Racing.
After ousting Sergio Perez, rather than calling on Tsunoda, who has four seasons of F1 experience, Red Bull opted for Lawson, who has only competed in 11 Grands Prix.
“The one who impressed me the most of the two was Yuki,” note Herbert.
“I like his enthusiasm, he's not afraid to shout. I like his qualifications. His advantage is his strong head. He's not afraid to say things about his team or other drivers around him. You need this type of mentality to compete against the best.”
“Would he beat Max? I'm not sure, but I think it would be close. That's what Red Bull needed.”
“Marko says that with his mental strength, Lawson has the best chance of standing up to Max. But I'm not convinced of that at all.”
“Yes, Lawson, due to his limited experience, has the greatest development potential. But can Red Bull afford the luxury of waiting when the battle will be fierce between the teams from the first Grand Prix in 2025? “
